2012 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

10-4Appearance care
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed and
built to resist corrosion. Special materials
and protective finishes have been used on
most parts of the vehicle to help maintain
fine appearance, strength, and reliableoperation. &Most common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retain-
ing dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust
control chemicals, or used in coastal
areas where there is more salt in the air,
or in areas where there is considerable
industrial pollution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity,
especially when temperatures range just
above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the
vehicle remains for a long time, even though other parts of the vehicle may be
dry.
4. High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to parts of the vehicle which cannot
dry quickly due to lack of proper ventila-tion.
& To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent
corrosion of the body and suspension
components. Also, wash the vehicle
promptly after driving on any of the
following surfaces. . roads that have been salted to prevent
them from freezing in winter. mud, sand, or gravel
. coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recom-
mended that the underbody be given a
very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the
condition of underbody components, such
as the exhaust system, fuel and brake
lines, brake cables, suspension, steering
system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of
them are found to be rusted, they should
be given an appropriate rust prevention
treatment or should be replaced. Contact
your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind
of maintenance and treatment if you need assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as
soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion.
Occasionally check under the mats to
make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. In such a garage, corrosion can
be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle
into the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and hood
latch should be inspected and lubricated
periodically.

Cleaning the interior
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. (Do not use
organic solvents.) &Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a
vacuum cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the
fabric or hard to remove with a vacuum
cleaner, use a soft brush then vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly
wrung cloth and dry the seat fabric
thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty, wipe
using a solution of mild soap and luke-
warm water then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a
commercially available fabric cleaner. Use
the cleaner on a hidden place and make
sure it does not affect the fabric adversely.
Use the cleaner according to its instruc-tions. NOTE
When cleaning the seat, do not use
benzine, paint thinner, or any similarmaterials. &
Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high
quality natural product which will retain its
distinctive appearance and feel for many
years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the
surface can cause the material to become
brittle and to wear prematurely. Regular
cleaning with a soft, moist, natural fiber
cloth should be performed monthly, taking
care not to soak the leather or allow water
to penetrate the stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning
woolen fabrics may be used to remove
difficult dirt spots, rubbing with a soft, dry
cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If
your SUBARU is to be parked for a long
time in bright sunlight, it is recommended
that the seats and headrests be covered,
or the windows shaded, to prevent fading
or shrinkage.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches
may be treated with a commercial leather
spray lacquer. You will discover that each
leather seat section will develop soft folds
or wrinkles, which is characteristic of
genuine leather. & Synthetic leather upholstery
The synthetic leather material used on the
SUBARU may be cleaned using mild soap or detergent and water, after first vacuum-
ing or brushing away loose dirt. Allow the
soap to soak in for a few minutes and wipe
off with a clean, damp cloth. Commercial
foam-type cleaners suitable for synthetic
leather materials may be used when
necessary. NOTE
Strong cleaning agents such as sol-
vents, paint thinners, window cleaner
or gasoline must never be used on
leather or synthetic interior materials. &
Climate control panel, audio
panel, instrument panel,
console panel, switches,
combination meter, and other
plastic surface
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. NOTE
Do not use organic solvents such as
paint thinners or gasoline, or strong
cleaning agents that contain thosesolvents. Appearance care
10-5
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10-6Appearance care
& Monitor (if equipped)
To clean the audio/navigation monitor,
wipe it with a silicone cloth or with a soft
cloth. If the monitor is extremely dirty,
clean it with a soft cloth moistened with
neutral detergent then carefully wipe off
any remaining detergent. NOTE . Do not spray neutral detergent di-
rectly onto the monitor. Doing so could
damage the monitor ’s components.
. Do not wipe the monitor with a hard
cloth. Doing so could scratch the
monitor.. Do not use cleaning fluid that con-
tains thinner, gasoline, or any other
volatile substance. Such cleaning fluid
could erase the lettering on the
switches at the bottom of the monitor.

Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ................................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment (2.5 L non-turbo models) .. ........... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running .......... 11-5
Maintenance tips ................................................ 11-5
Removing and reinstalling clips .......................... 11-5
Removing air intake duct .................................... 11-7
Pulling off the fender lining ................................ 11-7
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-7
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-9
2.5 L non-turbo models ...................................... 11-9
2.5 L turbo models ........................................... 11-10
3.6 L models .................................................... 11-11
Engine oil .......................................................... 11-12
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-12
Changing the oil and oil filter ............................ 11-14
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-16
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-16
Cooling system ................................................ 11-16
Cooling fan, hose and connections ................... 11-17
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-17
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-18
Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-18
Spark plugs ...................................................... 11-20
Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-20
Drive belts ........................................................ 11-21 Manual transmission oil
.................................. 11-21
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-21
Automatic transmission fluid .......................... 11-21
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-21
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-22
Continuously variable transmission fluid ...... 11-23
Front differential gear oil (AT and CVT models) .......................................................... 11-23
Checking the oil level ...................................... 11-23
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-24
Rear differential gear oil .................................. 11-24
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-24
Power steering fluid ........................................ 11-24
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-24
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-25
Brake fluid ........................................................ 11-25
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-25
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-26
Clutch fluid (MT models) ................................. 11-26
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-26
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-27
Brake booster .................................................. 11-27
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-28
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-28
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-28
Clutch pedal (MT models) ............................... 11-29
Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-29
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-29
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............ 11-29
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....... 11-30 Maintenance and service
11

Maintenance and serviceTires and wheels .............................................. 11-30
Types of tires ................................................... 11-30
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ................................................... 11-30
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-32
Tire pressures and wear ................................... 11-32
Wheel balance .................................................. 11-34
Wear indicators ................................................ 11-35
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-35
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-35
Tire replacement .............................................. 11-36
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-37
Aluminum wheels ............................................. 11-37
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-37
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-39
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-39
Windshield wiper blade rubber ......................... 11-40
Rear window wiper blade assembly (Outback) ....................................................... 11-41
Rear window wiper blade rubber (Outback) ... .... 11-41Battery
.............................................................. 11-43
Fuses ................................................................ 11-44
Installation of accessories .............................. 11-45
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-45
Headlight ......................................................... 11-45
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-48
Front position light .......................................... 11-48
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-48
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-49
Tail/Back-up light (Outback) ............................. 11-51
License plate light ........................................... 11-52
Dome light ....................................................... 11-53
Map light ......................................................... 11-54
Vanity mirror light ............................................ 11-54
Door step light ................................................. 11-55
Cargo area light (Outback) ............................... 11-55
Trunk light (Legacy) ......................................... 11-55
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-55

Maintenance schedule
The scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the“Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”.
For details about your maintenance sche-
dule, read the separate “Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”. Maintenance precautions
When maintenance and service are re-
quired, it is recommended that all work be
done by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service
by yourself, you should familiarize yourself
with the information provided in this
section on general maintenance and
service for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could
cause improper or unsafe vehicle opera-
tion. Any problems caused by improper
maintenance and service performed by
you are not eligible for warranty coverage.
WARNING
. Testing of an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle must NEVER be per-
formed on a single two-wheel
dynamometer or similar appara-
tus. Attempting to do so will
result in transmission damage
and in uncontrolled vehicle
movement and may cause an
accident or injuries to persons
nearby.
. Always select a safe area when
performing maintenance on yourvehicle. .
Always be very careful to avoid
injury when working on the vehi-
cle. Remember that some of the
materials in the vehicle may be
hazardous if improperly used or
handled, for example, batteryacid.
. Your vehicle should only be ser-
viced by persons fully competent
to do so. Serious personal injury
may result to persons not experi-
enced in servicing vehicles.
. Always use the proper tools and
make certain that they are wellmaintained.
. Never get under the vehicle sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use
safety stands to support thevehicle.
. Never keep the engine running in
a poorly ventilated area, such as
a garage or other closed areas.
. Do not smoke or allow open
flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire.
. Because the fuel system is under
pressure, replacement of the fuel
filter should be performed only
by your SUBARU dealer.
. Wear adequate eye protection to Maintenance and service
11-3
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11-4Maintenance and service
guard against getting oil or fluids
in your eyes. If something does
get in your eyes, thoroughly
wash them out with clean water.
. Do not tamper with the wiring of
the SRS airbag system or seat-
belt pretensioner system, or at-
tempt to take its connectors
apart, as that may activate the
system or it can render it inop-
erative. NEVER use a circuit
tester for these wiring. If your
SRS airbag or seatbelt preten-
sioner needs service, consult
your nearest SUBARU dealer. &
Before checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
WARNING
. Always stop the engine and apply
the parking brake to prevent the
vehicle from moving.
. Always let the engine cool down.
Engine parts become very hot
when the engine is running and
remain hot for some time after
the engine is stopped.
. Do not spill engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components.
This may cause a fire.
. Always remove the key from the
ignition switch. When the ignition
switch is in the “ON ”position,
thecoolingfanmayoperate
suddenly even when the engine
is stopped.
. Before performing any servicing
on a vehicle equipped with a
remote engine start system tem-
porarily place that system in the
service mode to prevent it from
unexpectedly starting the engine. &
When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
(2.5 L non-turbo models)
CAUTION
Do not contact the belt cover while
checking the components in the
engine compartment. Doing so may
cause your hand to slip off the belt
cover and result in an unexpected
injury.

&When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
while the engine is running
WARNING
A running engine can be dangerous.
Keep your fingers, hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from the cooling
fan, belts and any other moving
engine parts. Removing rings,
watches and ties is advisable. Maintenance tips
Some clips and fender linings must be
removed before replacing the air cleaner
elements or specific bulbs. &
Removing and reinstalling clips
! Removing clips
There are several types of clips used for
your vehicle. ! Type A clips
1. Turn the clips counterclockwise using
a flat-head screwdriver until the center
portion of the clip is raised.
2. Remove the clips with a flat-head
screwdriver using leverage. !
Type B clips
1. Pull out the center portion of the clip
using a flat-head screwdriver as shown in
the illustration.
2. Pull the protruded center portion to
remove the entire body of the clip. Maintenance and service
11-5
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